Can Threats of Failure Motivate Learners?

In our first column of this new chapter, we reflected on the important of self-belief in successful learning. This week, we’ll be considering a seemingly contradictory approach – threats of failure. Conventionally, it might seem as though the role of the parent and teacher is to encourage students. Those have more of a realist perspective might note positive correlations, including how good grades can lead to a desired university or job. A realist perspective might also take into account the pragmatic outcomes of failure, including reminding students that subpar work needs to be redone.

However, new research from Liverpool John Moores University and Edge Hill University has been investigating how different students interpret different motivational strategies. The study found that while messages of failure might encourage some students to work harder, it’s not an approach that should be applied to the whole class. Messages from teachers that focus on failure are known as “fear appeals”: they can create a strong fear of failure in students. Teachers use fear appeals more often when they believe that students will interpret the message as threatening and when they believe their class are less engaged. The intention may be to shock students into engaging in their studies.

Fear can be a powerful motivator. However, students, who also see exam results as very important, may lack confidence that they will do well. For these students, fear appeals can trigger feelings of anxiety and hopelessness. They can lose motivation, procrastinate and worry. Ultimately, their achievement is lower. Other students simply disregard fear appeals. They may not care about their exams, perhaps because they have already disengaged from their studies – or are so supremely confident they have no doubt they will not succeed. Researchers state that these results suggest that it would be counterproductive to use the same message for an entire class. This information will not come as a surprise to seasoned educators, who understand the bespoke nature of their role. Different students require different motivational messages.

However, given that students might be unwilling to share personal motivational responses, fear strategies should be avoided on this basis, particularly as unseen damage may result from reckless use. Student confidence and competency can also vary at different points. According to the research, fear messages can be positively reframed. For example, telling a student that working hard will lead to a good college prompts a similar response in many to a fear motivator as success-focused messages are still fear messages. There is also the option for classroom or at-home self-reflection exercises that encourage students to consider what motives them. These can be combined with other positive mental health practices like journaling.

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